Police have opened a murder investigation after the body of a pregnant woman, identified as Catherine Njeru, was found beside a road in Mwea East Sub-County, Kirinyaga County, on Friday morning.
The body was discovered along the Piai-Itangi Murram Road, within the area covered by Itangi Police Station, according to a press statement from the National Police Service (NPS) headquarters in Nairobi.
The NPS said preliminary observations showed “visible injuries to her head and hip.” The statement did not say how she died, when she was killed, or whether anyone has been arrested.
What police have done so far
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Kirinyaga County, led by the County Criminal Investigations Officer, joined local sub-county police investigators at the scene and began work to establish the cause of death, the statement said.
The Central Regional Police Command, led by the Regional Criminal Investigations Officer, has also joined the county team.
Inspector General of the National Police Service has been briefed on the case. He has directed the Director of Criminal Investigations “to expedite the investigation and establish the facts,” the statement said.
Police pledge justice
The NPS offered condolences to Njeru’s family, relatives and friends. It described the killing as a “heinous crime” and said it was committed to ensure that whoever is responsible is brought to justice.
The service also said it would pursue the case with transparency and accountability, and promised further progress reports as the investigation develops.
What we don’t know yet
The NPS statement leaves several basic questions unanswered. As of publication, police had not disclosed:
- The cause and time of death, or whether a post-mortem examination has been ordered
- A motive, or whether any suspects have been identified or arrested
- How far along the pregnancy was, or whether it is a factor in the investigation
- Who found the body, or when and where Njeru was last seen
- Whether the scene has yielded any physical evidence
This report is based on the NPS statement. Independent confirmation from Njeru’s family or local administrators had not been obtained at the time of writing. This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
Police have asked residents of Itangi to stay calm, avoid speculation and support investigators. Anyone with information is asked to report to the nearest police station or a law enforcement officer, or to use the following channels:
